SME Webinar: SMEs and Public Procurement - all you need to know

Our monthly broadcast will help support you through the next phase, giving you expert insight and intelligence to continue adapting, and providing the guidance you need to restart and boost your business, and build resilience for the new normal.

Speakers:

• Maxine Bligh, Commercial Director, Propositions and Transformation, CBI
• Liz Crowhurst, Deputy Director, Policy Unit, CBI
• Ian Pain, CEO, Horstman Group

In this session:

In this session we explored the barriers to entry, the benefits to procurement for SMEs including the foundation for growth and further business opportunities, the key levers to enable engagement and the upcoming Public Procurement bill.

Key takeaways:

• The CBI is asking the government to simplify the process, minimise the bureaucratic pre-qualification requirements, and review the process and frameworks agreement.
• The upcoming Procurement Bill will provide a radical overview, to make it easier, cheaper, and quicker for SMEs to bid and win government contracts 

• The CBI is heavily involved with ensuring that business is a key part of both creating and embedding the changes in a way which supports SMEs. 
• SMEs are agile and responsive and direct UK government contracts can be a success and worth the difficult journey to get there.
• Important for SMEs to build diversity within your supply base
• Government is a reliable supplier with good payment terms and contracts can enable good cashflow which can be beneficial for SMEs.

Supporting resources:

• Shape the future of public contracting
• New Carbon Reduction requirements for public contracts: discussion and Q&A with Cabinet Office
• Doing business with government: guide for SMEs